Nothing To Lose
by orayofsunshine
Summary: It could have been a simple conversation between two people in the early hours of the morning, but of course Beth had to open her big mouth and ask the question that had been picking at her brain since she first saw him. "What's your name?". Bethyl. AU, no zombies.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first Bethyl fic like ever and I really hope this doesn't suck too bad. Anyways, hope you enjoy it, the main inspiration I got for this was the song "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman, if you haven't heard it I recommend it. Don't forget to comment/favorite/follow if you like it and stuff.**

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There were lots of things Beth hated about her job, and the night shift was one of them. It was long, boring, and all the coffee she drank to keep herself awake made her jittery and restless. Nobody came in at night anyways besides an occasional insomniac or person stumbling in from the bar drunk out of their mind and ready for a late night meal. The night shift meant for six long hours Beth sat around, scrubbing the counter tops until her arm hurt and fighting herself to stay awake.

"I see I'm not the only one stuck with the graveyard shift." The town sheriff, Rick, chuckled as he walked into the diner, making Beth snap her head up from where she was resting it on the countertop. She smiled sleepily in response, nodding slowly as she took the coffee cup and a clean mug to his booth, knowing that was exactly what he wanted.

"Unfortunately," She groaned, filling up his mug as she glanced up at the clock. The bright red 3:42 mocked her, and Beth realized she would need another cup of coffee soon. "But I need the job."

"You know you don't have to do this." Rick retorted, pouring a hefty amount of sugar into his coffee as Beth went around the counter to grab a few packages of coffee creamer. "Lori could always use the extra hands around the house, especially with Judith."

Beth rolled her eyes at him with a smile, Rick was constantly dropping her not so subtle hints about needing help with the new baby, but she earned more at the diner and she couldn't beat the tips. She would love to help, but she wouldn't take it as a job.

"You know I love Judith," She chuckled, taking the empty creamer cups as he used them. "But I can't just quit."

Now it was Rick's turn to roll his eyes as the bell over the door rang out, making Beth glance over to the newcomer. A man she didn't recognize was at the door, shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot. His cheeks and nose were bright red from the cold and his hair was tousled from the wind blowing outside. He was shivering slightly, and Beth could tell the poncho and worn out jeans he was wearing didn't do much to keep the January chill away.

"You got coffee here?" He asked, his voice holding much more of a southern drawl that she was used to. Beth held up the coffee pot so he could see, wincing when a drop sloshed out and hit her arm.

"Sit anywhere, I'll be over in a second." She said as the man nodded, sliding into a booth across the small diner from where she was. Beth scrunched her nose up at the strange man before turning back to Rick. "I gotta go help him now, just holler if you need something, alright?"

"Will do, Beth." Rick replied, giving her a nod as she turned on her heel to get a coffee mug for the stranger. When she approached his booth he looked up from his hands and gave her a once over, making Beth blush. She knew the light yellow work uniform was dingy because she always forgot to throw it in with the wash and she had dried pancake batter in her hair from where Jimmy had flicked some at her before leaving for the night. She was an absolute mess and somehow a random stranger made her notice it.

"Uh, I'm Beth, can I get you anything besides coffee?" She asked, setting the mug down on his table. He shook his head quickly, downing half of the coffee the second Beth pulled the pot away.

"No thanks." He said simply, not saying anything else and dropping his gaze to his cup. She nodded slowly and backed away from him.

"Well I'll be behind the counter if you need anything." She waited for him to give her a response, a nod, a glance in her direction, anything. When she realized she wouldn't be getting a reply she turned on her heel and retreated to her spot behind the counter, topping off Rick's cup as she passed by.

It wasn't long before Rick left to answer a call from the bar not far from the diner, probably from a fist fight or someone who's designated driver ditched and needed a ride home. She almost chased him down as he rushed out of the diner to give some of the tip money back; despite how much she said she didn't want him to, Rick always gave her much more than necessary. That left Beth alone with the stranger, who hadn't spoken since she gave him his first cup of coffee.

"Need a refill?" She asked with a yawn as the clock hit 4:15 am. The man looked up, his blue eyes cloudy and obviously tired.

"Yeah," He answered, his voice gruff. "That'd be good."

Beth grabbed the freshly brewed pot of coffee and made her way over to him, filling up the cup with shaky hands. She wanted to kick herself, of course that would happen when she didn't want to look like a freak.

"You alright?" He asked as some of the coffee missed his mug completely and landed with a splash on the table. Beth blushed in embarrassment and leaned over the table to grab some napkins to clean the mess she had made.

"Yeah, I-I uh just shake sometimes. When I'm tired or hungry, you know? It's weird." She said, knowing he probably wouldn't understand. "S-so are you new in town? I mean it's small so everybody knows everybody and I haven't seen you around before. I hope I'm not prying too much but-"

"You ramble a lot." He interrupted her word vomit. She blushed and chewed on the inside of her cheek beside she couldn't think of anything to say in response. He was right, she did tend to ramble when she was nervous, and right now she was very very nervous. "Just got in earlier, with my brother. First thing he did was hit the bar, and I came here."

Beth nodded slowly, tapping her nails on the side of the coffee pot so her fingers wouldn't fidget too much. It was the five cups of coffee that made her so damn jittery, she told herself so she wouldn't have to admit to herself that it wasn't just the caffeine. "Are you staying long then?"

He shrugged, and Beth couldn't help but notice the way the muscles in his arms pulled and flexed as he moved. She felt herself flush for the millionth time that night, but she quickly blamed it on the fact that she was right next to the air conditioner which was spewing out warm air.

"I dunno. Merle, my brother, usually decides if we stay somewhere or not. Don't stick around anywhere for too long though." He answered before pulling a flip phone out of his pocket and glancing at the tiny screen. "This is him." He mumbled, hints of frustration laying beneath the regular gruffness of his voice.

He answered the call and Beth quickly walked away to give him privacy so she busied herself by cleaning the countertop again even though it was already spotless. After a minute the man stood up, tugging his poncho back over his head and digging a crumpled bill out of his pocket. He tossed it on the table and made towards the door, and that could have been it. It could have been a simple conversation between two people in the early hours of the morning, but of course Beth had to open her big mouth and ask the question that had been picking at her brain since she first saw him.

"What's your name?" She called after him. He stopped in his tracks and turned back to her, giving her the same once over he did when he first arrived.

"Daryl." He said simply, his face void of any emotion. "Daryl Dixon."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: okay can I just say how shocked I was that people actually liked this? It makes me very happy :) anyways, if you like it feel free to comment/follow/favorite... Yeah. Hope ya'll like this chapter!**

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A week had passed since the night shift where she had met Daryl, and Beth couldn't help but assume that he had already moved on with his brother. He intrigued her, everyone that came to the diner was always willing to sit and visit while eating, but Daryl was different. He was closed off and quiet, never saying more than was necessary. Beth wasn't used to someone with a personality like his.

"Beth, are you paying any attention to what I'm saying?" Maggie snapped, tearing her from her thoughts. She blushed when she realized she had been absentmindedly scrubbing the same plate for the past few minutes, completely ignoring everything her sister said to her.

"Of course I was." Beth lied with a unconvincing scoff, passing the plate to Maggie for her to dry.

"Then what'd I say?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow at her younger sister. Beth shot her sister a glare, biting her tongue to keep herself from making a snide comment about her sister's condescending tone.

"Something boring that doesn't matter." She said, flicking water at Maggie just to get on her nerves. She only rolled her eyes in response and set the dried plate in the cabinet before leaning against the counter.

"I said Daddy's working late and I'm leaving to go up to Glenn's for the weekend, so I need you to go run some errands for me." Maggie instructed, pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket. Beth groaned, letting her shoulders slump in protest.

"I don't wanna." She whined, poking out her bottom lip. Maggie shook her head, shoving the piece of paper in Beth's hand stubbornly.

"Nuh uh, you know that pouting act doesn't work on me." She said, making Beth groan in protest again. Maggie rolled her eyes and pulled a few twenty dollar bills in from her pocket. "Now get, it ain't much. I'm not asking you to go dig a hole to China, it's just a few things that need to be done."

"Fine, it's not like I had much of a choice in the first place." Beth huffed, snatching the money from her sister and shoving it in the pocket of her jeans before stomping off to her room to get her shoes and a jacket.

The chill bit at her face as soon as she stepped out of the house, and even with a long sleeved shirt and hoodie the cold still seeped through her clothes and to her skin. Beth rubbed her arms in a weak attempt to warm herself up as she made her way to the car, praying that it wouldn't take forever to heat up. The leather seats and steering wheel were cold, making her tense up while she turned the car on and waited for the air to turn hot. Running errands was her least favorite thing to do, she would much rather stay at home and help with the horses and housework. More so when it was thirty degrees outside and it didn't matter how many layers you put on, you would still freeze your tail off.

The car had just started to get warm when she stopped the first time to get the first thing on Maggie's seemingly endless list of things: horse feed. She ran into Otis, her neighbor, at the supply store and stopped to talk with him, which quickly turned into a lengthy conversation about how her family was doing, how cold it was outside, and just about every other topic under the sun. Beth was polite as the man rambled on about his cows and what crops he wanted to plant in the spring and she answered questions when asked and nodded thoughtfully when appropriate. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Otis said goodbye and went about his business, making Beth sending up a thank you that it was over. She quickly paid and made her way out of the store before she saw anyone else she knew, which was inevitable. In a small town like hers, everyone knew everyone.

Her next stop was the bank, then the dry cleaner's, and finally the grocery store. Beth was relieved that it was her final task, she wanted nothing more than to go home and settle on the couch in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Grabbing a buggy she ventured into the store, scanning the list Maggie had made for her. She was too occupied reading her list that she didn't even notice the person turning the corner, straight into her cart.

"Shoot, I'm sorry-" She apologized, looking up to see someone she didn't think she'd ever see again. "Daryl?"

"You're fine, don't worry 'bout it." He brushed the collision off with a shrug. The two stood awkwardly for a moment, Beth tapping on the handle of the cart and Daryl shifting his weight from foot to foot. The air surrounding them was thick with awkward tension and Beth didn't have the slightest idea how to get rid of it.

"I thought you would've skipped town by now." She said, trying to sound casual. She didn't know why she was trying to strike up conversation with a near stranger after avoiding it with people she had known her whole life all day. She liked to blame her curiosity, Daryl intrigued her, that was for sure. She watched as he shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn out jeans. Beth didn't know much about him, but it was painfully obvious that he was a man of view words.

"Merle found a girl at the bar that he liked, we'll probably leave when he gets bored with her." Daryl replied, and Beth nodded slowly.

"Do you have a job?" She asked curiously. If he would be staying there, he would have a place to stay, and that would cost money. She didn't mean to pry, but she couldn't help but wonder. If he didn't, maybe she could talk to her dad about him helping out on the farm or something. Again, she was shocked at her concern for the stranger, but she couldn't dwell on it for long.

"Do you know when to butt out of someone's business?" He snapped back, his voice filled with irritation. Beth was taken aback by his tone, she wasn't used to being spoken to like that. Sure, Maggie would scold her from time to time and her Daddy yelled at her once when she snuck out to see her horse at night, but other than that she never had anyone speak harshly to her.

"Sorry." She squeaked. "I-I'll just go on now." Beth quickly turned around, rushing down the nearest aisle even though she was sure she didn't need anything from it. She sighed, trying to not let his attitude get to her.

"Grumpy old man." She muttered as she turned to the produce section, pulling a head of lettuce from the stack and haphazardly throwing it in the buggy. She had done nothing to him to deserve his attitude, she had been nothing but nice to him in their two encounters. Beth certainly thought she hadn't been too intrusive, she was only trying to help.

"It's his loss." She told herself confidentially as she finished getting the groceries, forcing herself to not think about the man who had more or less taken over her thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Shit I accidentally uploaded chapter one again... My bad. Thanks to the guest reviewer who let me know! Here's the real chapter 3, don't forget to comment/follow/favorite if you like it! **

**Warning: mentions of child abuse and assault.**

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Ever since he could remember, Daryl was always the one to make sure Merle didn't fuck up too bad and fix everything he screwed up. He didn't pay back drug money? There goes Daryl's slim savings. Merle hit on a girl who was taken? Daryl took the punch from an angry boyfriend. Merle stole their dad's beer? Daryl got the belt.

His older brother wasn't too fond of thank you's either. People that they met in towns that they stopped at told him Merle was no good for him, he could live a good life if he didn't follow his brother around like a lost puppy. This usually earned them the middle finger and being cussed out by him. Daryl had no one else, so he would keep following him around Georgia dealing with his brother's shit until he kicked the bucket or decided to settle down. Daryl snorted at the thought, like that would happen anytime soon.

It was just after midnight and the bar was bustling with people. Merle had Veronica, his latest toy, in his lap with one hand wrapped around her waist and a beer in the other. They had been drinking for a while, and Daryl knew there was no way he was going to be able to pick up the hefty tab. Which meant he would inevitably have to.

"Come on baby brother, stop lookin' so down. Why don't cha find yourself a girl while we're here? Find some tail to pass the time?" Merle chuckled, nudging his shoulder as he took another swig of beer.

"I don't need a woman to have fun." Daryl snorted into his drink, downing the rest of it. Hopefully he could get drunk enough to ignore his brother.

"What about that cute little blonde over there?" Merle chuckled, pointing across the bar to where a small stage was set up. Daryl groaned in annoyance when he recognized the person. It was the girl from the diner, Beth. He was shocked really, at first glance she didn't even look old enough to be in the bar. Hell, did she look different though.

Even though he was across the room from her, he could definitely pick out what was different about her. Their past two encounters she had been dressed casually, no makeup, hair up, not looking to impress anyone. Now though, her eyes were dark and smoky while her lips were painted the color of bubblegum. The dark blue jeans she was wearing were sinfully tight, making her legs look long and lean. She looked sexy, and the thought made Daryl kick himself, he shouldn't be thinking that way about a kid. A nosy, annoying, overly friendly kid at that.

There were cheers and whoops as she sat down on the stool in the middle of the stage, some coming from Merle which made Daryl punch him in the arm. His brother was old enough to be her father, hell so was he, it was just wrong for him to be catcalling her. She smiled shyly into the microphone and settled her guitar in her lap.

"Evenin' everyone." She chuckled. "I'm Beth Greene for anyone that doesn't know me, and I'm gonna be singing for a little while." With that, she started strumming the chords on her guitar, tapping her foot on the floor. Daryl instantly recognized the Dolly Parton song as Beth's smooth voice filled the air. She was good, her voice wasn't too high and held only a little bit of the twang she had when she spoke.

"I need some air." Daryl mumbled after listening to a few songs. He glanced over to Merle, who was too busy groping Veronica too notice he had even said something. Rolling his eyes he stalked out of the bar and leaned against the cold brick wall, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. He stuck the cigarette in between his lips while he fished the lighter out of his pocket, quickly lighting it and inhaling the smoke into his lungs.

The cigarette was half done when the door to the bar swung open and out walked the girl he had deliberately left to avoid. Beth didn't seem to notice him as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and made a call. Daryl ignored her, trying to finish his cigarette so he could go inside and get away from her. He knew if she saw him, it would most likely lead to her starting up an unwanted conversation. He stomped out his cigarette after another minute and was making his way back inside when he saw a guy leaning against the wall next to Beth. She looked frustrated with him, her jaw tense and her fingers curled tightly around her phone as she continued to talk on it. Daryl was tempted to ignore them but when the sleaze pulled her phone from her hand and pinned her against the wall he couldn't just standby and watch.

"Get off you dick!" Beth exclaimed, trying her best to push him away as he pressed his hips firmly against hers, forcing her against the wall. Daryl saw red as the guy chuckled, grabbing her wrists and forcing them against the wall and rolled his hips into hers again.

"Hey!" Daryl shouted, getting to them in a few strides. "The girl said get off of her."

"Why don't you piss off old man." He scoffed, dropping one hand to run up Beth's side. She yelped in fear, wiggling more in another weak attempt to get free. Before thinking about the consequences, Daryl was yanking the guy away from her by the back of his collar, his fist connecting painfully with his face.

"Why don't you learn to respect women." He spat, throwing him on the ground and giving him a kick to the stomach before turning to Beth. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She breathed shakily, her hands shaking from fear and the cold. "Thanks."

"No problem, fucker shoulda left you alone." He said with a nod, turning on his heel without another word and going back into the bar. He got another beer before looking for Merle and Veronica, trying to forget about what had just happened and his throbbing knuckles. He would've done it for any girl, he told himself. He was just being a decent person, no more no less.

He found his brother coming out of the bathroom with his usual smug 'I just got lucky' smirk, a very disheveled Veronica hot on his heels.

"We're heading to Ronnie's place, you just go on home when you're ready baby brother." He said, wiggling his eyebrows and winding his arm around her waist, not so subtly grabbing her ass. Daryl rolled his eyes, hoping she was sober enough to drive because there was no way in hell his brother was in a position to drive.

"See y'all tomorrow." He gave them a nod and Merle all but pulled her out of the bar. Daryl could only roll his eyes and throw himself onto a bar stool. He sat alone for a while longer, drinking a few beers and watching ESPN on the flat screen over the bar. He paid his tab with a grimace, it was much more than he would've liked and as he had suspected Merle didn't pay for his own drinks.

"One day that son of bitch is gonna pay me back." He grumbled to himself as he shoved his wallet back into his pocket and made his way out of the bar. He walked quickly to where Merle had parked their truck when they got there, and was more than shocked to see that it wasn't there anymore. He must've taken it when he left with Ronnie. Typical Merle, leaving his brother stranded somewhere with no way to get home. In the middle of January, no less. It wasn't the first time he had left him somewhere, he couldn't count the times he had been stranded as a child on both hands.

Daryl sighed and shoved his cold hands in his pockets, starting the trek across town to the shitty apartment he had leased after realizing that he would be in town for a while. Merle was more than happy to freeload on old friend's couches, but Daryl always felt awkward and bothersome intruding in someone's house. In a car, the apartment was only a five minutes drive, but he knew walking would take much longer. He was going to have a hell of a cold the next day and he was already dreading the runny nose that would come along with it.

He was halfway home when a car drove up behind him, slowing to a stop next to him. He glanced over at it, hoping it wasn't someone that Merle had pissed off and was there to beat the shit out of him. To his surprise, it wasn't, and instead of a dealer a familiar blonde head popped out of the window.

"What the hell are you doing walking around at three in the morning? It's like, twenty degrees out." Beth stated, giving him a once over. He was shivering visibly and his nose and cheeks were bright red from the wind, it was obvious his thin jacket wasn't doing much to keep the cold out.

"I'm walking home what the fuck does it look like?" He snapped, turning away from her and walking down the road again. He heard her groan and move forward to drive slowly next to him.

"Well do you not have a car? What about that motorcycle you had a few weeks ago?" She pried. Daryl rolled his eyes, she was even nosier than normal.

"Merle took the car and left me there." He shrugged, walking faster and hoping she would find the answer acceptable and leave. He had no such luck.

"Do you need a ride?" She offered, frustration evident in her voice as she sped up slightly to keep up with him. Daryl shook his head, not even turning his head to her. With another agitated groan she stopped her car abruptly, the breaks squealing and gravel flying everywhere. "Stop ignoring me and get in the goddamn car Daryl Dixon!" She demanded, slamming her hand down on the steering wheel.

"You tryin' to wake the fucking dead?" He snapped, turning to her. She glared at him, her eyes full of determination.

"I'm trying to help you but you're being an ass." She bit back. Daryl rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, his frustration with the teen growing.

"You give me a ride then leave me the fuck alone, you got that?" He grumbled, walking around her car and slinging the door open. She smiled triumphantly as he threw himself into the passenger seat and slammed the door. Beth wasn't fazed by his hostility and nodded towards him.

"Seatbelt." She reminded, her voice sweet as sugar, a big contrast to the harsh tone she used just minutes before. Daryl rolled his eyes again and jerked the belt across his chest, angrily pushing it into place. Beth shot him a smug grin before moving again.

The ride was silent, the only sounds being the engine humming and Daryl's simple directions to his apartment. He was surprised that Beth didn't try to pry or start a conversation, she just drove quietly. Her silence unnerved him, Merle had told him when he was younger that there was nothing worse than a silent woman and he was completely right. He waited for her to explode on him, yell at and berate him for being so stubborn, but it never came. She kept her mouth shut until she pulled into the parking lot of his building and put the car in park.

"Goodnight." She mumbled, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel nervously. He had noticed her doing that during the drive and at the diner, she was constantly fidgeting her hands.

"Night." He nodded simply, unbuckling and stepping out of the car. He was about to shut the door before he turned around and ducked down to look in the car. "Thanks."

"Anytime." She replied, her voice soft from obvious exhaustion. He gave her one more awkward nod before standing up straight and closing the door, giving her a small wave as she drove out of the parking lot.

He stood there on the sidewalk until her tail lights disappeared, wondering how the hell he was going to stay away from her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Whoo new chapter! Okay so one quick thing: I've decided that updates are going to be every Sunday from now on, just because I've been swamped from school already and I've only been back two and a half days, so this way I can dedicate my week to school and weekends to writing! Anyways, I hope that's cool with everyone, I really wish I could update twice a week but it's just not going to work :( okay, enough of my rambling. Hope y'all enjoy this, don't forget to favorite and follow if you like it and drop me a review letting me know what you think! **

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Beth felt like she was being pulled in four hundred different directions. It was the lunch rush at the diner, and it seemed like everyone in all of Georgia decided to eat lunch there. Along with the normal craziness of it, Cora, the other waitress during that shift, never showed up. With her gone, Carol had no other choice but to expand Beth's section to make up for Cora's absence. She had received dirty looks and rude jabs at her service all shift, one table didn't even tip her.

"Excuse me, waitress!" She heard someone call after her, followed by snapping as she struggled to balance a stack of plates in her hands. She sighed and bit her tongue so she wouldn't let all hell break loose for them snapping at her like she was some animal. Rude customers were the worst in her opinion

"I'll be with you in one second." She said over her shoulder as she disappeared into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink to be washed later.

"You seem stressed Bethy" Jimmy stated as she walked by the fryer. She shot him a glare and dropped the plates into the soapy water, effectively getting it all over herself.

"Shoot." She mumbled, rubbing at the suds as she turned on her heel to go out to the dining room. "I'm very stressed Jimmy, I want to throttle someone. I hate the lunch rush, I don't do good under pressure."

"I know you don't." Jimmy sympathized. He glanced at the clock above the door and sighed. "But don't throttle a customer, that's not a good way to earn tips and a great way to be fired. Take your frustrations out on folding clothes or cleaning your bathtub or whatever you like to do." He joked. She rolled her eyes and flipped the bird to him. The two had been best friends for as long as she could remember, and he loved to take digs at her habit of cleaning whenever she was angry or stressed. Maggie teasingly called her a stress cleaner, and as much as she hated the title, her older sister was right.

"Maybe I will." She countered, thumping the back of his head as she walked back by. She sighed and grabbed a pitcher of water and sweet tea, topping off drinks as she walked through her section.

She noticed that another group had sat down and Beth groaned, she really hated the 'seat yourself' system. She made her way over to the table, pulling her note pad out of her apron as she walked.

"Welcome to Lillian's diner, I'm Beth I'll be your waitress today." She recited quickly, glancing to the food window where a plate was waiting for her to take. "Can I get ya'll something to drink?"

She glanced up to the table to the pretty brunette sitting there, practically on top of the man sitting next to her. "I'll have coke, is that alright Merle?" She asked, turning to the man. He gave her a smile and put his arm around her shoulders, rubbing her arm affectionately. The name seemed extremely familiar to Beth, but she couldn't exactly put her finger on where she knew it from.

"Of course Ronnie, get anything ya want. Daryl's paying, aren't ya Darlina?" The man, Merle, said. He was looking behind Beth and when she heard a snort behind her she spun around, almost face to face with Daryl Dixon. He gave her a small nod before sliding into the booth across from Merle and Ronnie, his face hard and emotionless.

"I didn't say I'd do shit." He grumbled before turning to Beth. "We're on separate checks." She nodded and tapped her pen nervously on the notepad.

"So, uh, drinks?" She asked, scribbling down a coke for the girl.

"You got good sweet tea here?" Merle asked, his voice rough, probably from years of smoking if Beth could guess. She nodded slowly and he smirked. "I bet you're good too, Sugartits."

"Excuse me?" Beth gasped, disgusted at the older man's crudeness. He had to be at least double her age, if not more. Never in her life had someone said something so provocative to her and frankly, it made her skin crawl.

"You're just a pretty little thing, aren't you? Quiet too, I like that." He continued, looking her up and down like she was a piece of meat. Beth was uncomfortable, to say the least.

"Cut it out Merle, you're scarin' the girl half to death." Daryl snapped at him. "Just order your damn drink so she can do her job."

Merle rolled his eyes at his brother and leaned back into his seat. "Sweet tea." He drawled, sounding bored now that he couldn't mess with her. Beth nodded, writing it down quickly and glancing up at Daryl. She reminded herself to thank him before he left.

"Water." He said simply, not looking up from where he was reading over the menu. Beth nodded and turned on her heel, telling them she'd have it right out as she went to help other tables. She didn't realize she was shaking until Carol touched her arm gently as she was filling up drinks.

"You alright Beth?" She asked gently, her motherly side showing heavily. Beth nodded quickly and Carol followed her as we went to get food from the window.

"Some creep over at table twelve was hittin' on me, being an ass. I'm fine though." She assured, giving Carol a half hearted smile. The older woman glanced over to the table, her eyes rolling when she saw him.

"Of course Veronica Tate is with that idiot." She huffed. "Probably taking money from his wallet after she sleeps with him."

"You know him?" Beth inquired, glancing over at the two Dixon brothers.

"He's been in here a few times, harasses my waitresses. Half the time he's drunk or high, sometimes both. This is probably the first time I've seen him sober." Carol snorted as Beth followed her to the food window, stacking a tray with plates. "Do you want me to take the table? Or tell him to leave?"

Beth shook her head with a sigh. She wasn't going to let him get the best of her, she'd be damned if he did. "I've got it." The blonde assured, giving Carol an unconvincing smile as she walked back into the dining room to deliver the food.

Eventually the crowd thinned out and business slowed, leaving Beth practically shaking with adrenaline from the rush. To her surprise, Merle hadn't given her any more trouble and kept his perverted comments to himself. She glanced over at their table, seeing that they were almost done with their food, and pulled the bills from her apron.

"Pay at the register, y'all have a good day." She said cheerfully as she set them down on the table, giving them a small smile.

"You too sweetheart." Merle said, winking at her. Beth could only fight the urge to roll her eyes and turn on her heel, walking away as quickly as she could. She let Merle's comments slip her mind as she cleaned tables and collected her tips, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw Merle and Veronica leave.

"Hey! He didn't pay!" She heard Carol shout, stomping around the counter and towards the door. Beth gasped as she went after him, only to be intercepted by Daryl pulling out his wallet.

"I got it." He mumbled with a sigh. "No need causin' more trouble than it's worth."

Carol stopped, giving Daryl a weird look before shrugging. "Alright then, Beth can ring you up at the register." She said, disappearing into her office. The younger girl gave him a wary glance before going to the register. Daryl passed her the checks and Beth glanced at the total, it wasn't much really, the diner never was super expensive. She glanced up to see him sliding some cash across the counter top and Beth shook her head, pushing it back to him.

"On the house, keep your money." She said simply. Daryl gave her a curious look before shaking his head and pushing the money back across.

"I don't want your charity." He said roughly. Beth rolled her eyes and picked the money up, leaning across the counter to put the money in the front pocket of his flannel. He stiffened at her hand brushing his chest through the fabric, but she chose to ignore it.

"It's not charity, I'm just doing you a favor. You don't have to pay for your brother being an ass." She snorted, pulling some bills from her apron and shoving it in the register.

"Well, uh, thanks I guess." He mumbled, pushing his hands into his pockets. Beth shot him a beaming smile and gave him a small wave.

"See you around Daryl." She said as he turned around. He only nodded in response as he walked out, but Beth didn't mind, she knew eventually he would try to hold a conversation with her. She would wait until he was ready, she had all the time in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Bam, new chapter. First off, thank you SO SO much to every single person that has favorited/followed/commented/read this story. It honestly means the world to me. Second off, I'd like to thank Mary (I'm blanking on what her tumblr user is sorry Mary) for being my beta for this story, I can't thank you enough. Lastly, if anyone is interested in following me my tumblr is .com so yeah if you want to follow me. Don't forget to follow/comment/favorite if you like it! **

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Daryl Veronica, he really did. She was sweet and usually kept his brother from doing something stupid. Regardless, of how much he liked her, he didn't enjoy coming into their apartment to her, buck ass naked, riding his brother on the couch.

"You have a bedroom for a reason for fucks sake!" He shouted, slamming the front door just as quick as he had opened it. He heard Merle laugh through the door and for just a second Daryl thought he would go into his room, the loud moan that came a second later proved him wrong. Daryl rolled his eyes and stalked back to his truck, wishing it was warmer so he could take his bike. Once in the warmth of his car he glanced at the flier for a farm hand job he saw at the store the other day. He really could use rent money, Merle sure as hell didn't contribute to the bills. Sure, it was probably going to be long hours of hard labor in the cold, but it would keep him busy and in his apartment. Sighing he scanned over the paper, looking for the address. He groaned when all he could see was "See Hershel Greene for more information." Damn small town where everyone knows everyone. He eventually stopped in a family owned grocery store asking where he could find Hershel Greene, which earned him a chuckle and a "you're new to town aren't you?" Daryl rolled his eyes as held a smart ass comment back while the cashier gave him directions. He had only been in the town for a few weeks and he was already more than prepared to leave, everyone was too friendly, everyone was everyone's best friend. He made a mental note to mention it to Merle when he went back to the apartment later.

Ten minutes after leaving the store Daryl drove down the seemingly endless driveway, passing acre after acre of fields until pulling up in front of a huge farmhouse. It was old by the looks of it, but the white paint made the whole house look crisp and clean. He couldn't help but snort, wondering what he was getting himself into.

Gathering up his courage he shut the truck off and shoved the flier into his pocket, hoping the job hadn't already been taken by a local. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Daryl knocked on the front door firmly before taking a step backwards and shoving his hands in his pockets.

A few seconds later the door swung open, revealing a girl with short chestnuthair. "Can I help you?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Daryl cleared his throat, nodding.

"Hershel Greene around? I saw his paper sayin' he needed a farmhand." He said, praying that he didn't sound as awkward as he felt. The brunette nodded slowly before taking a step back to let him inside. Once the door was shut behind him the girl turned and walked to the bottom of the staircase.

"Daddy! There's someone here for the farmhand job!" She shouted, her voice carrying through the house. Daryl heard a muffled response before she nodded and turned back to him. "Take a seat anywhere, he'll be down in a second."

Daryl nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and dropping himself into a chair. His leg bounced nervously, he really needed the job, his slim savings were quickly running out. He'd be fucked if he didn't find some way to get money soon.

He was torn from his thoughts as an older man walked into the living room. He looked pleasant enough, but so did the people that always gave snide looks to his father and looks of pity to him whenever they were in public when he was a kid. He looked like the people that were so quick to judge his Ma even after her death. Daryl still hated those people.

Against his better judgement, Daryl stood up and shook his hand, willing his hands to stop their shaking.

"Daryl Dixon, nice to meet you." He said as politely as he possibly could. He hoped his first impression on the man wasn't 'redneck asshole'.

"Hershel Greene." The other man greeted before sitting down in the chair next to him. "So you want to work on my farm?"

Daryl nodded slowly. "Yes sir, if you'll let me. I can work as long as you'll take me." His knee began to bounce nervously again and Hershel must have noticed because he chuckled slowly.

"No need to be nervous son, I just need some help fixing fences and our tractor. Then in the spring planting seed and help take care of the animals; think you can handle that?" He asked. Daryl nodded slowly, he just hoped Merle would want to stick around that long.

"Yes sir I think I-" His voice caught in his throat when the one and only Beth Greene stood in the doorway. She looked like she had just rolled out of bed, literally, despite it being almost one in the afternoon. Her blonde hair was knotted and tousled with sleep and there was a crease line on her face from where she had slept on a crumbled pillow case. Daryl looked her up and down, smirking at the old gray sweatpants that hung low on her hips and the navy tank that looked like it had a bleach stain over her right boob. They both blushed and Daryl felt like smacking himself in the face. He was an idiot to not make the connection, of course it was her house.

"What are you doing here?" She asked cautiously, folding her hands over her chest. Hershel glanced back and forth between the two in confusion before turning to his youngest.

"You know him?" He asked. Beth nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact with Daryl.

"I've seen him at the diner a few times." She stated simply. "Why is he here?"

"I'm hiring him as a farmhand, is there a problem with that?"Hershel asked, and Daryl panicked. She really could make or break him getting the job, and he hadn't always been nice to her. He shot her a pleading look, kicking himself that he was silently begging a kid for a job. Beth smirked at him, shifting her hands down to her hips before turning to her father.

"Nope, not a problem at all." She answered, her voice sickeningly sweet. Daryl sighed and let his shoulders slump in relief.

"Well then if you want the job Daryl, it's yours." Hershel said, grinned and turned to him.

"That'd be great, thank you." He said, standing up to shake his hand. Beth still stood at the doorway, giving Daryl a devilish smirk. He couldn't help but get a sinking feeling in his gut, she was up to something, and he could tell whatever it was it wasn't going to be good.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Can I just say that I am SO SO sorry that it's taken me so long to update (and that it's not Sunday, oops) anyways, here's the next chapter, hope you like it! Also, I've started another Bethyl fic "Girls" so go check it out! Because my schedule is so crazy right now, I'm going to alternate updating both of my fics every week. Don't forget to follow/favorite (thank you if you have!) and drop me a review if you like it! **

She wasn't sure how it happened, who initiated or when it started, but she didn't care. All she wanted to think about in that moment was the feel of his mouth on his and his hands on her waist. Their lips worked in sync, moving against each other's in perfect harmony. Her back was against a wall and he was pressed to her front, his hands wandering her torso and his hips grinding against hers achingly slow. Her mouth left his as she trailed kisses down his neck, the scruff there rubbing her face raw. Her hands found themselves in his dark hair, pulling his head back so she had better access to his neck. Her name left his mouth, followed with a low moan and she never knew that one simple sound could set her whole body on fire. She pulled away from his neck, letting her head rest against the wall to take in his deep blue eyes, blown wide with lust, and his lips, swollen from kissing her. His mouth open, saying her name again.

"Beth," Came the feminine voice of her sister instead of the rough voice of Daryl Dixon that she was expecting. "Beth wake up."

Beth's eyes opened slowly, squinting to adjust to the bright light coming through her curtains. Maggie was beside her bed, shaking her shoulder.

"What is it?" She asked, hoping she didn't sound too cranky. Her body was on fire from her dream, she swore she could still feel his hands on her and his mouth against hers.

"I'm going to work and Daddy's at the vet. Dixon's outside and Dad wants you awake in case he needs anything." Her older sister explained. "I'll see you tonight, love you."

"Love you too." Beth mumbled sleepily, dropping her head back down onto her pillow.

"Don't go back to sleep you nut!" Maggie laughed, throwing the closest thing she could reach, Beth's hairbrush, at her. Beth groaned when it hit her in the stomach and sat up in her bed. She ran a hand through her blonde hair, working some of the knots out of it while blinking a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes.

The wood floor was cold underneath her feet as she forced herself out of bed and pulled a sweatshirt over her head. Making her way downstairs to the kitchen, she got a perfect view of Daryl Dixon leaning over their tractor. She leaned against the counter, resting her head in her palms while she shamelessly looked at his ass.

It had been a week since he started working for her father, and in that time she mostly caught glances of him from a distance,which seemed to work for the better. He was very attractive, sexy even. If she ever did get close enough to speak to him it was usually just a few words as she made her way to or from her car.

When he turned to get something from his toolbox Beth forced herself to move away from the window and open the fridge. She made herself breakfast, glancing out the window every so often to make sure Daryl was still there. To her surprise, when she was done eating, he was gone. She leaned over the sink to get a better look outside, but still not seeing him. Surely he wasn't done working, it was only ten thirty.

A knock on the door echoed through the house, making Beth jump. Her heart pounded against her chest, half because of who was behind the door and partly because she wasn't expecting the loud sound. She glanced down at what she was wearing, tugging down the spandex shorts she had worn to sleep in a weak attempt to cover more of her legs. When she realized there was nothing she could do about them, she settled with pulling her hoodie down over her bottom.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the front door and swung it open, revealing the man she had just been thinking about. Like every other encounter they had on the farm, he was shifting his weight awkwardly from foot to foot with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Beth watched as his eyes trailed over her legs, making her feel like she was on fire underneath his gaze.

"Need anything?" She asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah, your dad said somethin' in here needed fixin', thought I'd check it out." He said before nodding inside. "Can I come in?"

Beth felt her face flush, feeling like an idiot for just standing there in the doorway while he was outside in the cold. "Yeah of course, come on in. Do you want coffee? I was just fixin' a pot if you want some."

There was an awkward silence between the two before Daryl nodded and grunted, which Beth took as a yes. She led him the the kitchen and tried to shake the nervousness away as she reached into the cabinets to get mugs for them.

She was standing on her tip toes, stretched as far as she could go trying to get the mugs, silently cursing Maggie for putting them up so high.

"Need help?" Daryl asked from behind her. Beth shook her head quickly, nothing screamed 'child' more than needed help to get something she couldn't reach. At least, that's what Beth thought.

"I got it." She insisted, finally managing to get the handle on a mug and pull it towards the edge, only to have it fall. The ceramic mug seemed to fall in slow motion before smashing next to her bare foot, sending shards into the soft skin.

"Shit!" Beth yelped, her foot jerking up for her to hold it, leaving her to hop around on the uninjured foot. God, she probably looked like a fool, just the thing she wanted the man she had a crush on to think; not. He was at her side seconds later, his arm going over her shoulders. Even through the thick fabric of her hoodie Beth could still feel the warmth from his arm and the toned muscles moving as he steadied her. She glanced down at the destroyed mug, her heart stopping when she noticed which one it was. "No! No no no no no, fuck!" Beth cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's just a mug Beth, we can clean it up." Daryl said slowly, probably wondering why she was having a borderline panic attack over a coffee mug. It wasn't just any mug though, it was much more than that.

"That was my mom's." Beth weeped, shaking away from Daryl's grasp and dropping to her knees to try to gather the pale pink pieces up. "She drank out of it every morning and now it's broken, gone."

Before she could even stop herself she was sobbing on the floor, clutching the broken shards even though they were digging into her palms. Her chest heaved with each sob, burning just like it had when she was sixteen and the pain was still fresh. Then, right after the accident, the pain had been like the slice she had made on her wrist; burning, searing, and washing over her in waves of agony. Now, it was like a bruise, forgotten until she bumped it on something or someone pressed down on it. She had almost forgotten about Daryl until she was scooped up from the ground into strong arms and set down on top of the island.

"You gotta first aid kit? You're cut up somethin' fierce." He said, his voice low and soft. Beth sniffled, wiping her runny nose with the back of her hand.

"Hall bathroom, under the sink." She mumbled, finally acknowledging the nicks and scrapes that covered her feet, hands, and knees. Daryl gave her a single nod before turning on his heel and leaving the kitchen. He returned a minute later, the big first aid kit Maggie always kept fully stocked in his hand. Even though she would never admit it to her, Beth knew she was the reason they kept the needle and thread in there, and seeing it filled her with shame. Without saying a word, Daryl took out the bottle of alcohol and Neosporin, taking a knee in front of her to inspect her feet. With gentle, yet calloused, hands he picked the bits of ceramic from her foot, ignoring the bit of blood that stained his hands. When he was done, he rubbed the scrapes with alcohol, and Beth couldn't help but notice his thumb stroking the bone of her ankle in a soothing manner whenever she would tense up. After wrapping her foot in a white bandage, Daryl moved up to her knees, which were only banged up a bit from when she fell to the ground. Those didn't take long at all, but she sat still as he cleaned them, thanking God that she had shaved the night before. Finally, he stood up straight and gestured for her to hold out her hand. She was still clutching onto pieces of the mug, and she held firm.

"Beth, you gotta let 'em go." Daryl said. She shook her head stubbornly, shuffling away from him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her ankles, pulling her back to the edge. Before she could get away again, he had taken her right hand in his and was prying her hand open. "Stubborn as a mule." He muttered under his breath as he went to work on her hand. Beth shifted nervously, her body on fire at the feel of his callouses against her skin. She kept her eyes on anything but him, but occasionally they would fall to him chewing on the inside of his cheek in concentration with his shaggy hair hanging over his eyes. After her right hand was cleaned and wrapped, her nodded to her left. Slowly, she let go of the shattered pieces she had been gripping but kept her hand away from him.

"I can do this one." She said, her voice barely over a whisper. Daryl rolled his eyes again, shaking his head.

"Your other hand's wrapped, no way you can do it on your own." He said, reaching for her left hand and pushing the sleeve of her hoodie up before she could stop him. She watched his eyes go wide when they landed on the white jagged scar across her wrist, and Beth wanted to curl up into herself and disappear. He would be like her family, treating her like a bomb, even though it had been two years since she had taken the shard of glass to her wrist. Or, he would be like the other less understanding people, ignorant and judgmental. He would see her as what she was, the broken kid who couldn't take living after her mom died. She wanted to cry again, to jerk her hand away from him and run up to her room and not come out until he had left town.

"You do this to yourself?" He asked, his thumb brushing over the scar. Her arm jerked, even though the pain had been gone for what seemed like forever. She kept her eyes down at her legs in shame while she nodded slowly.

"Go ahead, tell me how stupid I am. How selfish I was for thinking I can leave everyone else behind, Lord knows everyone else has." She mumbled, her free hand nervously picking at a loose string on the hem of her sweatshirt.

"Nah, not my place to say anything. It's old anyways, don't seem like it's an issue anymore." He said before gently pulling her sleeve down going silent again, working on cleaning her other hand. When he was finally done, he repacked the first aid kit and took it back to the bathroom. She sat on the island, feeling useless while he cleaned up the remains of her mother's favorite mug. When the last of the mess was cleaned up Daryl helped her off of the counter, keeping his hand on her shoulder just in case. Despite the fact that Beth's hands and foot looked like a mummy and she walked just about as good as one, she liked the feel of his touch; so maybe as she accidentally stumbled going up the stairs and Daryl's hands flew to her waist steadying her, she couldn't help but smile a little wider.


End file.
